What Does The FCC Net Neutrality Ruling Mean For Your Education IT Clients?

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

The FCC has ruled in support of net neutrality, meaning Web traffic for all users will be treated equally and denying the creation of so-called “fast lanes” of access for a higher fee. Supporters cheer the move as one that will preserve a wide-open Internet, while opponents have vowed to fight the decision in legal battles.

The move, which passed by 3-2 vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), prohibits providers from blocking or slowing certain online traffic or from offering faster services in return for fees, and, for the first time, it brings wireless Internet service fully under federal regulation as a utility. An earlier set of net neutrality rules was passed by the FCC in 2010 but was voided by a federal appeals court, and the debate raged on.

The plan to protect net neutrality confirmed by the FCC vote considers the needs of schools, according to Education Week, regulating broadband firms that provide high-speed Internet service as if they were public utilities. This will help guarantee access for cash-strapped school districts that cannot afford to pay more for Internet access.

In a July statement regarding the net neutrality debate, said Diana G. Oblinger, president and CEO of EDUCAUSE, explained, “Colleges and universities depend on broadband Internet access to support high-quality, media-rich teaching, learning, and research. At a time when the country views higher education and its use of technology as central to social and economic progress, we cannot make the quality and effectiveness of learning and research dependent on the capacity of institutions — and ultimately students and their families — to pay additional fees on top of the costs they already bear for broadband access.”

The FCC ruling means educators can breathe a little easier over challenges to online courses, MOOCs, Internet access, and other network-related educational resources.